Posttraumatic Stress Symptomology and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: The Role of Intrusion and Arousal Symptoms

Background: Previous evidence has shown a strong relation between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomology and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI). The current study aimed to extend prior research by investigating the relationship between PTSD symptom clusters (arousal and intrusion) and NSSI, and putative moderators of this association within a large-scale adult sample in England.

Method: A subsample of participants with experiences of trauma in adulthood (n=2,480) from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) was utilised to examine the relations among PTSD intrusion and arousal symptom clusters, childhood interpersonal trauma, perceived social support and lifetime NSSI.
Results: Arousal symptoms were consistently associated with NSSI, even when adjusting for multiple covariates, and had a stronger relationship than intrusion symptoms. Childhood interpersonal trauma was independently and significantly associated with lifetime NSSI after adjusting for covariates. The moderating effects of childhood interpersonal trauma and perceived social support were not statistically significant.

Limitations: The study was cross-sectional and utilised self-report assessments to measure PTSD, NSSI, and childhood interpersonal trauma.

Conclusion: Findings support the role of PTSD arousal and childhood interpersonal trauma in relation to NSSI. The moderating role of childhood interpersonal trauma and perceived social support lacks supporting evidence. Findings highlight the need for NSSI screening as well as for specific interventions that target the complex needs of those who exhibit elevated PTSD arousal symptoms, especially those with a history of childhood interpersonal trauma.